I can't improve and get stronger.

I am stuck. can someone help me?

 

Possibly of interest:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Simple-Attacking-Plans-77p3731.htm
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1948)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-back-to-basics-tactics
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.mongoosepress.com/catalog/excerpts/openings_amateurs.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Studying Chess Made Easy by Andrew Soltis
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090448/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review750.pdf
Seirawan stuff:
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092617/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review560.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-endings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm

Something to consider is that your maximum chess ability level is dependant on your natural born talent, just like any other skill, math, music, mechanical, etc. Based on your current ratings, I'm sure you can get better, but keep in mind, that the amount of time and work needed to improve, may outweigh the gain you recieve. In other words, don't drive yourself crazy trying to improve, only if it's enjoyable. Vladimir Kramnik, former chess world champion stated that, talent is the ability to improve rapidly at something. In other words, at a lower talent potential, it's gonna take a lot longer for a given improvement. A lot of people discount the talent potential, don't make that mistake yourself, you will save a lot of years of fruitless struggle.

You've only played like 310 rapid games just play more games lol

kindaspongey, stop doing that, please. Stop spamming the same message over and over again. If you really wanna do that, then I suggest you to copy your message and add to your profile page.

I saw one of your Daily games, where you just lost a bishop for nothing. Are you sure you are spending enough time to make your moves? In complex positions I often spend between 1 and 3 hours for a move.

I like kindofspongey’s posts.

Have you considered getting a coach? They could look at your weaknesses and strengths and tailor lessons to those to help you get better faster.

Take a break from chess for a day. It does amazing things.

I like kindaspongeys posts too. Who knows, something might be possibly of interest.

Study some good chess books....

Good Chess Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

And play longer time controls...

https://www.chess.com/article/view/longer-time-controls-are-more-instructive

Please don’t stop, @kindaspongey! I use your book references all the time. They aren’t spam, the list changes based on the question being asked. If people would just search the forums before asking a question, then perhaps @kindaspongey wouldn’t have to ever repeat his answers.

Such a lazy way to help others. Hey, I gonna make a list and then copy and paste everywhere. Don't get me wrong, it's a good list but, c'mon, don't be so generical. Create a link for your list and paste that link. This is just a matter of politeness and common sense. What he does is almostly a reddit bot type of thing.

#5

What so like 1% of people can come across it? I'd say he's doing good,

Sometimes I think "not again the long list", but often the links are useful. The only thing that I am missing in kindaspomgey's contributions is his own opinion, own experience. At least from time to time.

But hey, can you imagine this forum without him? Not really :D

I am often surprise to see how people complaining about the lack of improvement and asking for help are actually not interested working to improve. (I am not referring to the OP, though)

I am probably known to send people to Chessable to check he books and method of training there, but very few people give feedback. Recently though a guy in the Chessable forum told me he went to Chessable after one of my posts.

I think that there is very feel real interaction between chess players here. I can imagine that the only really productive interaction would be between a coach and his students.

I am giving a free lesson if you want, just message me

Well, I have the impression that your knowledge is pretty poor if I see your rating and your games. Much better than me, of course, but still pretty weak for somebody suggesting to be THE one who knows THE truth about chess. I am basically a chess collector, playing for fun and without any ambition. But I am stronger than the OP, and I cannot understand'what are you doing here. Perhaps you want to impress the OP and ask him to be his coach and take his money.

With your ambition you should be by know at least a strong IM, but you are not, are you?

Chessable is offering a tool to improve most aspects of the game in an efficient way. There you can learn from IMs and GMs, and you can ask the authors questions about the moves you don't understand. We have people there who began weak and are now 2200+, much stronger than you.


At least I am helping the OP, you are more interested to tell other people how ignorant they are and how smart you are. Rather infantile, if you ask me.

Does a person have to be striving to be a titled player in order to avoid being classified as lazy by you?

Most of the book recommended here are basic and not much helpful for a 1400 rated player.